Corrective footwear



y 1939- c. E. TURNER 2,160,238

CORRECT IVE FOOTWEAR Filed Sept. 11, 1937 Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORRECTIVE FOOTWEAR Application September 11, 1937, Serial No. 163,473

2 Claims.

This invention relates to footwear and particularly to shoes of a corrective type, and more especially to shoes for aiding in the correction of talipes, commonly called club-foot.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a new and improved shoe construction which is comfortable to the wearer. Another object is to provide a shoe which will provide the proper support for the cuboid bone and effect the proper exercise for the adjacent muscles. A further object is to construct a shoe which will provide a wedge action in walking, which in turn will create corrective exercising of the foot. Another object is to provide a shoe which will retain its normal shape while in use as a corrective piece of footwear.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a shoe for the left foot incorporating features of this invention. Figure 2 is aside elevation of the same left shoe viewed from the right hand side. opposite side. Figure 4 is a top plan view of the same shoe. Figure 5 is a section through the tongue taken on the line 55 in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a partial transverse cross section of the shoe adjacent the line 66 in Figure 4. Figure 7, is a bottom plan view of the shoe. Figure 8 shows a slight variation in the arrangement of Figure 6.

The shoe incorporating features of this invention, is constructed on novel lines to overcome the tendency of the foot to turn outwardly, and of the fore part to turn inwardly while at the same time providing desirable freedom of movement to the muscles and bones to permit walking without discomfort.

A shoe for a normal foot is generally constructed with the inner quarter portion adjacent the instep being substantially concave inwardly. The present shoe has this portion at least nearly straight or slightly concave outwardly. The corrective shoe of the present invention contemplates the normal structural parts of a child's shoe with special structural features for corrective purposes. The inner and outer quarters l0 and I I are respectively secured to the sole or bottom l2 of the shoe in any well-known manner, and are stitched to the vamp portion l3 at M and IS. The outer edges are provided with fastening means such as for example the series of eyelets 38 and 39 for using shoe laces. The tongue I6 is stitched at H to the rear top po ti n of the Figure 3 is a side elevation viewed from thevamp and is arranged to close the vent over the instep between the two side members or quartors.

The last of the shoe has an outflare with a lateral swing brought about by a break in the last of the shoe beginning in front of the os calsis or heel bone, about at the point I 8 inFigure 2, or somewhat toward the heel from the line 66 in Figure 4, this outflare is more readily appreciated from the plan views and more particularly from Figure 4. As a result the median line of the forward part of the shoe extends outwardly as respects a continuation of the median line of the heel portion. This construction abducts the forepart of the foot or turns it outwardlytoeing the foot out. In the shoe for a normal foot this line extends inwardly.

In both the forward part and in the heel portion the sole is tapered outwardly having an increasing thickness. Wedging l9 and 20 is placed on the. outer side of the heel and sole portions 40 and 2| respectively. This wedging begins somewhat in front of the median line of the shoe and extends outwardly and rearwardly in both the sole and heel portions, the sole portion extending from the left'hand side 23 and its sloping face toward the right hand side 22, as observed in Figure 1. The outer vertical surface of the heel is arcuate as clearly seen in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 6 as at points 43, 44 and 45. The sole portion is similarly arcuate. The wedging is so placed as to bring about eversion of the heel and encourage toeing out and further abduction of the foot. The amount of wedging in the heel portion may be somewhat greater than the amount of wedging in the sole portion. In Figure 7 the median line 4| of the forepart and the median line 42 have an angle 0 of less than 180. The area covering about the lower half of Figure 7 is the wedge area. It is important for the shoe to maintain the foot in normal position when walking so as to completely correct the abnormal tendencies.

A cushion piece 24 is attached within the shoe preferably between the inner sole 25 and the outer sole 26 although as in Figure 8 it may be on top of the inner sole 25 as indicated. This piece is arranged to fit directly under the cuboid bone for the purpose of everting the heel and assisting in maintaining the abducted position of the forefoot obtained by the corrective last. This is in addition to relieving some of the pressure brought to the foot at this point, which is the area wherein most of the corrective changes take place. The cushion member 24, or pad extends acres about one-third of the transverse width of the shoe with the inner sole of the shoe normally level except at the point which is bulged up by the pad and absorbs the shock of walking. The pad itself i substantially semi-circular in plan view with the diameter arranged to abut the outer quarter of the shoe. About centrally of the cushion is a definitely raised portion to effect the support and absorption of shock, and exercising in the vicinity of the cuboid bone. In Figure 8 this pad has an extending portion 24' and of course the inner sole is not bulged up as the cushion itself does this.

A strap 21 is permanently attached on the inside of the shoe at the base 28 of the cuboid and passes over the instep 29 to the outer side of the shoe. The free end 30 is provided with a series of perforations 3| for cooperation with an appropriate adjustable buckle 35 secured by a strap 35' to the sole at point 36 at the heel on the opposite side of the shoe. The secured end 32 of the strap 21 as well as the buckle strap 35 is flared at 33 and 34 for a more appropriate securement and distribution of stresses in the shoe structure. The greatest amount of pressure in such a shoe is in the region of the cuboid resulting in forces which throw the shoe outof shape. The presence of the strap and the cooperating arrangement of parts especially the cuboid support assists in maintaining the abduction of the foot created by the last and wedging and in preserving the original appearance of the shoe.

The tongue I6 is provided interiorly with a cushioned surface 31 so positioned over the instep as to eliminate any localized pressure from the strap 21. The wedging action of the soles, the supporting action of the cuboid by the raised intermediate sole portion, the massaging and protective action of the soft portion of the tongue, and the correction action of strap all coact in combination to provide a shoe of exceptional corrective value.

The shoe therefore rotates the foot about the longitudinal median by raising the entire outer side of the foot and increasing the abduction created by the effect of the last and then further raises the cuboid bone and absorbs the shocks at that point. The forepart of the foot is additionally toed-out and the strap holds all parts in close cooperative combination to obtain the complete coordination of these actions. If these actions are viewed from the ankle or leg bone as a base of operations then the cuboid is thrown upwardly and turned about its axis, the forepart of the foot is thrown outwardly i. e. toed out and raised by the wedging so that the everting and abducting of the foot is obtained and maintained. The whole foot thereby being twisted about its longitudinal median in a clockwise direction as viewed from the heel. Now if we consider the forepart of the foot as the base of manipulation then the action of the shoe raises and tends to throw the cuboid bone inwardly and throws the s calsis outwardly while at the same time twisting the whole of the foot clockwise if viewed from the heel and counterclockwise if viewed from the toe. The last causes the foot to toe out. The last also efiects abduction and the wedge carries the abduction beyond the corrective amount obtained by the last alone. The resilient sole acts on the cuboid bone and relieves the shock. The resilient tongue and the strap complete the corrective action by blending all of the individual actions of the other features, as well as their own corrective actions, into a unitary, constantly acting whole.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and provided, variations within the true spirit and scope of the same are to be determined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A corrective shoe comprising an upper, a sole and heel secured to said upper, wedges inserted in said sole, wedges inserted in said heel, said sole and heel wedges being inclined transversely in the same direction with the thickest portion thereof on the outer edge of the shoe, said sole wedges also tapering longitudinally from a central point whereby to provide a convex under surface on said sole, said heel having the breast portion thereof disposed on an oblique angle relative to the length of the shoe with the forward portion thereof outermost, and a strap extending across the instep portion of said upper and disposed on an oblique angle to the length of the shoe with the forward portion thereof on the inner side of the shoe.

2. A corrective shoe comprising an upper, a sole and heel secured to said upper, wedges inserted in said sole, wedges inserted in said heel, said sole and heel wedges being inclined transversely in the same direction with the thickest portion thereof on the outer edge of the shoe, said sole wedges also tapering longitudinally from a central point whereby to provide a convex under-surface on said sole, said heel having the breast portion thereof disposed on an oblique angle relative to the length of the shoe with the forward portion thereof outermost.

CLARENCE E. TURNER. 

